Does Sexual and Emotional Behavior Differ Between Sexual Partners That Do Not Disclose HIV Status?

Objective: The objective of the study was to analyze whether the disclosure of HIV serological status among sexual partners is associated with differences in sexual affective behavior. Methods: Cross-sectional study was carried out with 173 participants in a specialized assistance service on the treatment of people with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Data were collected through interviews. Results: Our results show that from the participants who did not disclose their HIV status and who were sexually active, most had multiple sexual partners (44.6%), used combined methods of prevention (75.4%), had casual partners (63.0%), used condoms (66.2%), and had sexual intercourse while under the influence of alcohol (56.9%). The variables i.e., number of partners (p = 0.010) and type of relationship (p <0.001) showed statistical differences. Conclusion: Sexual affective behavior variables influenced the decision about disclosing HIV seropositivity to sexual partners that establish different forms of sexual partnerships.

Profil Kejadian Kanker Serviks Di Rumkital Dr Ramelan Periode Januari – Desember 2018

Background: cervical cancer as the highest case in Indonesia in 2013, especially in the regions of East Java and Central Java. For the main cause itself is a persistent infection of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). However, there are also many factors that can be a risk such as age, parity, hormonal contraceptive use, and sexual activity. Because of the high incidence of cervical cancer in East Java, the purpose of this study was to determine the profile of cervical cancer events in Rumkital DR Ramelan Surabaya during the period January - December 2018. Method : descriptive study with a qualitative approach carried out at the Rumkital Oncology Clinic DR Ramelan surabaya during May - August 2019. The results showed that the majority of cervical cancer cases occur in women > 51 years old. Women with a history of parity ≥ 3 children have the highest percentage of 60%. The age group for first sexual intercourse has the same incidence both at age ≤ 20 years and > 20 years which is 50%. As many as 60% of women have a history of hormonal contraceptive use longer than 4 years. And the highest history of changing sexual partners occurred in those with only one sexual partner, which was 93.3%. Conclusions women aged > 51 years, have a history of parity ≥ 3 children, have sex at an early age ≤ 20 years, and use hormonal contraception ≥ 4 years, have a high risk of being cervical cancer. Keywords: cervical cancer, age, parity, age at first sexual intercourse, duration of use of hormonal contraception, multiple sexual partners.

Perceptions and Attitude of Women of Luderitz, Namibia on Pap Smear

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the leading malignancies globally and has taken third place in Namibia amongst women aged 15-44 years. Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been proven to increase women’s susceptibility to developing cervical carcinoma. Sadly, Namibia carries a twin burden of HIV and cervical cancer. Namibians are aware of HIV/AIDS, but remain poorly informed about cervical cancer. Furthermore, among those who are aware of the disease, low utilisation of screening tests have been reported. Objective: The purpose was to explore perceptions and attitudes held by women about cervical cancer, reasons for low uptake of Pap smear testing amongst those who are aware of the malignancy as well as unearth motivation factors that has fuelled women to go for screening. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling as a sampling technique. The survey instrument used was a self-administered questionnaire. It consisted of both closed and open ended questions. A total of 136 women were surveyed. Results and conclusion: The level of awareness for cervical cancer (92.6%) and Pap smear (93.4%) were high. Most were able to identify that pap smear test is used for screening for pre-cancerous lesions. However, knowledge about the impact of a HIV positive status along with co infection with HPV as the leading causes for progression of invasive cervical carcinoma was not well known. Knowledge about the other risk factors such as multiple sexual partners (39.7%), early sex debut (34.9%) and smoking was poorly demonstrated. This suggests that a high awareness level does not necessarily translate into having a good perception or understanding of a disease. A good attitude towards screening was observed although less than half of the study population reported ever having a test done.

Parentage Assignment Reveals Multiple Paternity in the Critically-Endangered Guatemalan Beaded Lizard (Heloderma Charlesbogerti)

Within captive management programs for species of conservation concern, understanding the genetic mating system is of fundamental importance, given its role in generating and maintaining genetic diversity and promoting opportunities for sperm competition. If a goal of a conservation program is reintroduction, knowledge of the mating system may also inform prediction models aimed at understanding how genetic diversity may be spatially organized, thus informing decisions regarding where and which individuals should be released in order to maximize genetic diversity in the wild population. Within captive populations, such information may also influence how animals are maintained in order to promote natural behaviors. Here we investigate the genetic mating system of the Guatemalan beaded lizard, Heloderma charlesbogerti, a member of a genus lacking such information. A group of adult male and female H. charlesbogerti were co-habited for five years during the species perceived breeding season. Through genomic parentage analysis, 50% of clutches comprising multiple offspring were found to result from polyandry, with up to three males siring offspring within single clutches. Furthermore, males were found to be polygamous both within and across seasons, and females would exhibit promiscuity across seasons. As such, within this captive environment, where opportunities existed for mating with multiple sexual partners, the genetic mating system was found to be highly promiscuous, with multiple paternity common within clutches. These findings are novel for the family Helodermatidae, and the results have broader implications about how reproductive opportunities should be managed within captive conservation programs.

Does the Change in Smoking and Marijuana Use Policies Influence Adolescents’ Risky Sexual Behaviors and Other Associated Factors?

Introduction: Despite evidence from numerous studies that document the association between risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) and behaviors driving them, few had investigated the trends of the association over time, which was the objective of this study.Methods: A total of 61,072 students from four Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS) survey years (1993, 2001, 2009, and 2017) were included. The relationship between five risky behaviors (suicide risk, smoking, binge drinking, marijuana use, and physical fight) and two indicators of RSBs (condom non-use and multiple sexual partners) was investigated. Interactions between survey years and risky behaviors were included in the models to test the strength of associations over time.Results: Compared to previous years, most associations between risky behaviors and RSBs were converging. However, there were no consistent decreasing changes in associations across time in marijuana, smoking, and RSBs relationships.Conclusion: Findings raise concerns about the potential impact of interventions directed toward adolescent’s substance use. However, longitudinal studies are needed to clarify directionality and make more specific practice and policy recommendations for adolescents’ smoking and marijuana use as proxies to reduce the growing burden of STIs among this population.Policy Implications: Despite the public push against adolescent’s substance use, our findings may suggest that the policies around tobacco and marijuana use have not been as effective on the adolescent population as intended.

Factors Associated with Having Multiple Sexual Partners among Men Who Have Sex with Men University Students in Northern Thailand

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) university students were more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population due to various reasons, including having multiple sexual partners, having anal sex without a condom, and using alcohol and drugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors associated with multiple sexual partners among MSM university students in northern Thailand. Methods: The participants of this study were 139 MSM university students. The number of sexual partners in the last 12 months was used as the main outcome variable. Information was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire. The number of sexual partners for categories of participants was described as median and interquartile range. Factors that were independently associated with multiple sexual partners were identified using binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Findings showed that seeking sexual partners online (AOR = 1.72; 95% CI 3.10 - 44.29), drinking alcohol within the last 12 months (AOR=9.73; 95% CI 1.38 - 68.47), and having a self-perception of HIV risk (AOR=3.63; 95% CI 1.15 - 11.50) were independently associated with having multiple sexual partners. Conclusion: Health agencies and universities should develop strategies to promote life skills related to sexual responsibility, appropriate use of online media, and reduction of alcohol consumption among MSM university students.

Alcohol use and misuse among school adolescents from national surveys in Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2018

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and misuse and associated factors among adolescents in Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Data from 3,847 adolescents (mean age:14.6 years, SD = 1.7) that took part in national cross-sectional school surveys in 2018 in Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were analysed. Students responded in a classroom setting to self-administered questions on substance use and othe variables. The results indicate that 42.7% of the students reported current alcohol use, 27.9% were ever drunk and 11.4% had trouble with alcohol use. In adjusted logistic regression analyses, compared to students from Saint Lucia, students from Saint Vincent and the Granadines had higher odds of trouble from drinking. Older age was associated with current alcohol use and ever drunk but not with trouble from drinking. Severe food insecurity and suicidal ideation were associated with trouble from alcohol use. Current tobacco use and current cannabis use were highly associated with current alcohol use, ever drunk, and trouble with alcohol use, while ever use of amphetamines was associated with ever drunk. School truancy, participation in physical fights, injury, and multiple sexual partners increased the odds, while parental support decreased the odds of current alcohol use, ever drunk, and trouble from alcohol use. In conclusion, high alcohol use and misuse has been identified calling for interventions.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With HIV/HCV High-Risk Behaviors Among People Who Use Drugs on Methadone Maintenance Treatment: A 10-Year Observational Study

Background: Sociodemographic factors have an impact worldwide on the behavior of people who use drugs (PWUD). This study attempts to clarify the sociodemographic factors related to HIV/HCV high-risk behaviors (injection drug use, syringe sharing, and multiple sex partners) among PWUD on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in the long term.Methods: The 13,300 PWUD recruited into the MMT program were followed during 2006–2015. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and HIV/HCV high-risk behaviors.Results: We found that male (vs. female), living alone (vs. living with family or relatives), temporary income, financial support from family/friends, and financial support from social welfare (vs. regular salary) were positively associated with injection drug use. Age of initial drug use was negatively associated with injection drug use and syringe sharing. For both genders, being unmarried (vs. married or in cohabitation), living with friends, living alone (vs. living with family or relatives), temporary income, financial supports from family/friends (vs. regular salary), being employed (vs. unemployed/between jobs) was positively associated. In contrast, age at baseline was negatively associated with having multiple sexual partners for both genders. Ethnic of non-Han (vs. Han) was positively associated with having multiple sexual partners simply for males. Being divorced or widowed (vs. married or cohabitated) was positively associated with having multiple sexual partners merely for females.Conclusion: HIV/HCV high-risk behaviors correlated with certain sociodemographic factors of PWUD receiving MMT. There is a need for improving the well-being, employment, and housing status of PWUD on MMT to reduce their HIV/HCV risk behaviors.

HIV testing and ethnicity among adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 years in Ghana: what really matters?

Despite the high prevalence of HIV among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15–24 years in Ghana, HIV testing remains low among this population. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between ethnicity and HIV testing among AGYW in Ghana. The 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data were used and analyses were restricted to 3325 female participants aged 15–24 years. Chi-squared tests and a logistic regression model were used to assess the association between ethnicity and HIV testing. Furthermore, the PEN-3 cultural model informed the conceptual framework that explained the relationship between ethnicity and HIV testing behaviour. Results from the bivariate analysis showed an association between ethnicity and HIV testing among AGYW (p<0.05). However, when controlling for other behavioural and socioeconomic determinants of HIV testing in the logistic regression, there was no association between ethnicity and HIV testing. The significant predictors of HIV testing were marital status, having multiple sexual partners, and condom use. The AGYW who were married (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.56, CI: 3.46–6.08) or previously married (aOR = 4.30, CI: 2.00–9.23) were more likely to test for HIV compared with those who were never married. Having multiple sexual partners (aOR = 0.41, CI: 0.20–0.85) and condom use (aOR = 0.56, CI: 0.38–0.84) were associated with lower odds of HIV testing. The results provide evidence that ethnicity is not associated with HIV testing among AGYW in Ghana, as the bivariate association was attenuated when other behavioural and socioeconomic determinants of HIV testing were accounted for. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual-level factors, community-level factors, and other socio-cultural factors as they really matter in the development of HIV prevention programmes for adolescent girls and young women in Ghana.

Hiv And Hepatitis B Virus Co-Infection

The clinical importance of HBV-HIV co-infection comes from the fact that both viruses are highly transmissible and share similar routes of transmission. Co-infected individuals are more likely to develop liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In view of the above, this manuscript is a quantitative, sectional, descriptive study with secondary data obtained from the analysis of medical records of 88 individuals with chronic hepatitis B. Thus, the purpose of this manuscript is to estimate the frequency of HBV-HIV co-infection and to identify the presence of liver damage. The results revealed an HBV-HIV co-infection rate of 9.1% (8//88), with two individuals being infected with the HIV-HBV-HCV virus concurrently. A large percentage of patients are male and heterosexual. There was a relationship between risky sexual behavior (sex without using a condom, multiple sexual partners) and the acquisition of hepatitis B and HIV. Related to the presence of liver lesions, it was observed that only one patient is diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, but there were no cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Considering the increase in the quality of life and survival of people with HIV, the need to maintain protocols for the investigation of hepatocellular carcinoma is evident, thus seeking early detection and treatment.